History Month

Camden NJ— The Camden County History Alliance invites the public to join us for Camden County History Month from October 1 to October 31, 2022, when over thirty participating historic sites and history organizations throughout Camden County will be open with special exhibits, reenactments, and guided tours for adults and children, both in-person and virtual, spanning centuries of history. The vast majority of the more than seventy events and activities during the month are free.

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Camden County’s Colonial history will be highlighted at a variety of events this month. The Heights Heritage League will host a walking tour of Revolutionary War sites in Haddon Heights on October 9. Also on October 9, the Camden County Historical Society will open a new exhibit “Say My Name”: Enslaved Africans of Pomona Hall, highlighting the enslaved workers at the colonial plantation house, built in 1726. The colonial Griffith Morgan House will be open on October 2, with living history demonstrations by members of the Pennsauken Historical Society. Also on October 2, Barclay Farmstead Museum will demonstrate spinning, weaving, and butter churning. The Gabriel Daveis Tavern Museum, built in 1756, will be open on both October 9 and October 23, featuring a new elevated walkway along the north branch of Timber Creek. Be sure to also tour the 18th century Indian King Tavern Museum, where New Jersey’s legislature met in 1777, which is open Wednesdays-Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons.

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Civil War history will be highlighted at the Lawnside Historical Society’s Anniversary Celebration on October 15, which will include re-enactors and music at the Peter Mott House Underground Railroad Museum. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities will lead a walking tour discussing the history of Camden’s Historic Cooper Street during the Civil War on both Saturday, October 15 and Tuesday, October 25. The Old Baldy Civil War Round Table will host a program entitled “Back From Battle: The Forgotten Story of Pennsylvania’s Camp Discharge” on October 13, both in-person at the Katz JCC and virtually via Zoom.

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Railroad enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the Historic Berlin Railroad Depot, built in 1856, which will be open for tours on Saturday, October 15. The Merchantville Historical Society will meet in The Station in Merchantville on Wednesday evening, October 19, sharing an overview of Merchantville’s legacy through images. On Monday evening, October 24, the West Jersey Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will host a presentation on “A Penn Central Retrospective” at the Audubon Senior Center.

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Several events highlight the Delaware River this year. Tour the Schooner North Wind at Freedom Pier on October 22, or weather-permitting, book a 2-hour sail aboard the schooner (register at www.northwindsail.org). Learn about shipbuilding in Camden and view an exhibit on Sailors’ Tattoos at the Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum on October 16. And on Wednesdays in October, the Battleship New Jersey is offering a special “buy one, get one free” ticket discount!

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Interested in historic districts and historic markers? The Heights Heritage League will host a walking tour of the White Horse Pike National Register Historic District highlighting architecture from 1890-1920 in Haddon Heights on October 29. Gail Greenberg will discuss her historic register nomination for the Peter Mott House on Thursday, October 13 at the Lawnside Historical Society’s Zoom meeting. On Monday, October 17, the Haddon Heights Historical Society will host a presentation, “Marked for History: Using Interpretive Wayside Markers to Illuminate a Building or Site and Its History” by Paul W. Schopp. The Berlin Township Historical Association will dedicate a new historic marker for the Snowflake School in West Berlin on October 29.

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For those looking for seasonal fun for the whole family, the Indian King Tavern Museum will be open on October 8 with apple-themed activities. The Historical Society of Haddonfield will also be open on October 8 for the Fall Festival with tours of historic Greenfield Hall. The Pennsauken Historical Society will offer Halloween activities for kids at the Burrough-Dover House on October 22. The Historical Society of Haddonfield will offer Haunted Haddonfield Walking Tours on Friday and Saturday evenings, October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 & 29. Finally, the Indian King Tavern Museum will offer pumpkin carving and a sing-along with the Sea Dogs on October 15.

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Twentieth Century themes will be featured at the Camden County Historical Society’s new Camden Legends Hall of Fame exhibit, with music performances on October 23. The Esther Raab Holocaust Museum and Goodwin Education Center will host the March of Remembrance with Holocaust survivors on October 2, followed by a presentation by Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, that evening. The Esther Raab Holocaust Museum will also be open for tours on October 16 & 27.

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Fans of Walt Whitman can attend a Meet & Greet with Walt Whitman at the Whitman Stafford Farmhouse on October 22. The farmhouse will also be open for tours on October 4 & 11. The Walt Whitman House in Camden will be hosting special “Walt Whitman’s Camden” tours that focus on the work that Whitman created while living in Camden, as well as the history of Camden in relation to the historic site. These tours will be available on Fridays at 10am and 2pm, Saturdays at 10am and 2pm, and Sundays at 2pm, on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Several historic buildings will also be open for tours. Visit the Collings-Knight House in Collingswood, built in 1825, on October 15 and October 22. Newton Friends Meeting House, built in 1827, will be open on October 2. Step back in time and explore the Stratford Quaker Store on October 22. Saint Joseph’s History Society of South Camden will offer tours of the ornate church on October 8.

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Focusing on community history, the Waterford Township Historical Society will hold an exhibit at the Waterford Township Public Library in Atco about local first responders throughout the month. The Barrington Historical Society will host the virtual launch of the new Barrington History Walk on October 20. The Somerdale Historical Society will also offer virtual tours of historic sites in Somerdale at Somerdale-nj.com/departments/historical-society. Other museums and historic buildings that will be open during the month include the Clementon Historical Society on October 6; the Winslow Township History Center on October 8, 9, 22, & 23; and the Gloucester City Historical Society on Saturdays, October 1 & 15, and on Thursdays, October 6, 13, 20, & 27. Stop by these sites to learn more about our history!

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Camden County History Month is hosted by the Camden County History Alliance, an association of over 50 Camden County history organizations, historic sites, and support agencies. The History Alliance was created in 2016 to identify resources, increase the number of visitors, and institute projects that promote Camden County heritage. The Camden County Historical Society manages the work of the History Alliance.

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A full list of all the over 70 events during Camden County History Month, with hours and locations, is available on www.camdencountyhistoryalliance.com. Schedule is subject to change. Visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/camdencountyhistoryalliance for additional details and updates, or pick up an event guide from any of the historic sites or at the Camden County Historical Society at 1900 Park Boulevard in Camden.